29 June 2023 , 09:08
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Madonna is a busy mum of six children, but it’s her strained relationship with her eldest son, Rocco Ritchie, that has hit the headlines in recent years.
The Material Girl hitmaker welcomed baby Rocco on 11 August 2000, and in a statement announcing his birth, she and then-husband Guy Ritchie said they were “delighted” by their new bundle of joy.
Sadly, in October 2008, she and Snatch director Guy confirmed they had split, with their divorce finalised just a few months later.
Over the years, Madonna has proudly showed off her six children - her firstborn Lourdes, 26, and adopted children David, 17, Mercy, 17, Stella and Estere, 10 - but her relationship with Rocco has had its fair share of ups and downs.
Strict parenting
Madonna confessed she’s hands on with her kids, but it was her approach to parenting that irked Rocco.
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During an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show when he was just 12, the singer sat alongside her son as they discussed their family life.
Things turned awkward as the talk show host quizzed Rocco about his relationship with his mum, as she asked: “Is your mother strict? Is she a good mother?”
Madonna and son Rocco (EMPICS Entertainment)“Um, Yeah, she's a good mother but yeah, yeah,” he shyly replied.
“But she's what?” mum Madonna interjected.
“She's a good mother. Yes. That's all I have to say. She's very strict but in a good way,” the embarrassed pre-teen added.
Years later, the Material Girl hitmaker confessed she has help with her kids, but they aren’t “stand-in” parents.
“I do have help, but they don't raise my kids. They don't teach them morals, you know, they're not stand-ins,” she told The Howard Stern Show in 2015.
Madonna shares Rocco with ex-husband Guy (PA)
The teenager sparked a massive custody battle when he refused to leave his dad (Rex)Custody battle
Cracks in the relationship began to show in 2015, when the singer revealed her son had stopped performing alongside her on tour.
Rocco had been spotted dancing on stage with his music icon mum during her MDNA tour, but she told Entertainment Weekly in 2015 that her teenage son was no longer “interested in performing” with her.
“Your mum is not cool when you're 14,” she sniped.
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Just a few months later, in December 2015, Madonna hit the headlines as news of a bitter custody battle between her and ex Guy emerged.
Rocco quit travelling with his mum on her Rebel Heart tour, and headed to his dad’s sprawling country estate in Devon.
He refused to return to his mother in New York, and despite a judge in December 2015 ordering the Hollywood director to send Rocco back, the youngster remained with his dad, splitting his time between Devon and London.
Madonna with her six children - Rocco, David, Lourdes, Stella, Estere and MercyMadonna spent Christmas without her eldest son, who had told a court he wanted to live with his dad permanently, prompting the singer to head to the Supreme Court in New York in an effort to get access to her son.
In March 2016, a judge in New York ruled that Rocco would stay in the UK with his dad, as he urged Rocco’s famous parents to keep their private life out of the public eye, and away from the courts.
Just a few months later, Madonna and Guy settled the custody battle privately, and Rocco continued to split his time between his parents.
Struggles with her exes
As well as a very public custody battle involving her ex-husband Guy, Madonna has also taken a few swipes at her exes when it comes to parenting.
She shares her firstborn, daughter Lourdes, with Carlos Leon, and she confessed it was hard with her children having different fathers.
“Lola has a different father than Rocco, and I have four adopted kids, so there's a lot of outside influences. I'm trying to make sure I impart the same wisdom and love to everyone,” she told People in 2017.
Madonna said it wasn’t any easier as her kids got older, and believed it was “more challenging”.
“Now they're becoming adults, and they really need guidance,” she shared.
Kiss and make up
Madonna has now reconciled with Rocco, and the pair enjoy a close relationship.
It recently emerged that the 22-year-old was the mysterious artist Maison Rhed, and had been showing exhibits of his artwork in a salon owned by his mother’s hair stylist Andy LeCompte.
In an interview with Vogue Man Hong Kong, Rocco said he was inspired by both of his parents after growing up surrounding by people who were “passionate” about art.
Rocco credits mum Madonna for inspiring him to be an artist (Instagram)“Neither of my parents are painters, but both are artists in their own right and they taught me to appreciate and respect it,” he said.
Rocco also suggested his move to the UK to be with his father was fuelled by his ambition to become an artist, as he studied fine art at Central Saint Martins in London.
“It was the perfect moment; I was shifting gears from a teenage boy to a young man and it pushed me to focus on my passion but to also get out of my comfort zone,” he shared.
Hospital dash
Fans of Madonna were left stunned on Wednesday, as it emerged the singer had collapsed and was found unresponsive at her New York City apartment over the weekend.
The Holiday hitmaker was in intensive care for several days, and Rocco made a frantic dash to be with his mother following her terrifying health scare.
His big sister Lourdes is reportedly by her mum’s side during the ordeal, and Rocco was spotted visiting Madonna’s apartment with his adopted brother David, as the singer recovers in hospital.